Kotumsar cave is a limestone cave located near Jagdalpur in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Kotumsar cave is a major attraction for people interested in ecotourism. It was initially named Gopansar cave (Gopan = hidden) but the present name Kotumsar became more popular as the cave is located near a village named ‘Kotumsar’. Kotumsar cave formed on the Kanger limestone belt, situated near the bank of the River Kanger, a tributary of the Kolab River.
The entrance coordinates are 18052’09”N; 81056’05” E (WGS 84) and it lies at an altitude of 560 m above sea level. A vertical fissure in the wall of a hill serves as the main entry for the cave, and from there for the convenience of tourists a concrete path has been made extending to the end of the cave. The main tunnel of the cave is nearly 200 m long with several lateral and downward passages. Various types of speleothems offer panoramic views. Air and water temperatures are relatively stable with an annual average of 28.25 ± 1.23 and 26.33 ± 0.96 °C, respectively (range = 25.0–32.7_C for air; 22.9–29.3 °C for water). The cave is subject to frequent flooding during the monsoon season, which generally begins in the middle of June and continues until the middle of October. The site is closed to tourists during this period. Various water pools fed by seepage throughout the year also exist in this cave.
According to Hindu mythology, caves are generally considered to be prominent religious locations. Many pilgrims visit Kotumsar cave to worship at a big speleothem formation (stalagmite) in one of the chambers. Earlier worshipers also burnt incense and camphor in this part of Kotumsar Cave, which polluted the cave ecosystem resulting in a decline of cave biodiversity. This practice was accordingly stopped by the authorities based on a report published by the National Cave research and Protection Organization, India.
The cave has been known since the British era of India, but it was not taken seriously until the 1950s when the geography professor Dr. Shankar Tiwari visited the cave and attempted to explore its chambers with limited resources and equipment. The cave was first systematically mapped in the 1980s by Dr. Jayant Biswas (then a PhD scholar), guided by a Romanian caver. The map was first published in Biswas's PhD dissertation in 1990, and in 1992 by him in the internationally recognized publication of the National Speleological Society .
In 2011 a small but highly panoramic chamber was discovered and explored by forest officials. As the approach is not easy, it is closed to tourists.
Kotumsar cave is situated in Kanger Valley National Park, which is around 35 km from the city of Jagdalpur, the district headquarters of Bastar, in the state of Chhattisgarh. Jagdalpur can be reached either by road, train or air. The city is well connected by National Highways 212, 202 and 16. The nearest airport is the Swami Vivekananda Airport of Raipur.
To reach the park one follows the Jagdalpur, Sukma road. The cave is located around 10 km from the main entrance of the national park.
The Kotumsar Cave in Central India is one of the most biologically explored caves in India,. [1] While surveying the Kotumsar cave one of Dr. Shankar Tiwari's then colleagues Dr. S.M. Agarwal, a biologist took interest in the biodiversity of the Kotumsar cave. He identified a species of blind fish that occupy this cave as Indoreonectes evezardi (then Nemacheilus evezardi) with the help of the British Museum. New species of crickets namely Kempiola shankari were also discovered here. The name of the discovered critter was given in honour of Dr. Shankar Tiwari. Later on several other species were also discovered in the cave by taxonomists (mostly arthropods), geomicrobiologists from the National Cave Research and Protection Organization (India) also identified various bacteria that live in the cave.
The complete biodiversity of this cave has been well described by Dr. Jayant Biswas in the year 2010. There are many more caves identified around 5 km radius of this caves, but Kotumsar cave is the most biologically live cave of Kanger Valley National Park having healthy biodiversity.
Mole Creek Karst is a national park situated in the North of Tasmania, Australia, 168 km northwest of Hobart. It is located on the slopes of the Great Western Tiers to the east of the town of Mole Creek. It is the only national park in Tasmania created specifically to protect karst landforms. It is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Jim Corbett National Park is a national park in India located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand state. The first national park in India, it was established in 1936 during the British Raj and named Hailey National Park after William Malcolm Hailey, a governor of the United Provinces in which it was then located. In 1956, nearly a decade after India's independence, it was renamed Corbett National Park after the hunter and naturalist Jim Corbett, who had played a leading role in its establishment and had died the year before. The park was the first to come under the Project Tiger initiative.
Bastar is a district in the state of Chhattisgarh in Central India. Jagdalpur is the district headquarters. Bastar is bounded on the northwest by Narayanpur District, on the north by Kondagaon district, on the east by Nabarangpur and Koraput Districts of Odisha State, on the south and southwest by Dantewada and Sukma. The district possesses a unique blend of tribal and Odia culture.
Kanger Valley National Park is a national park in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state in India. It came into existence in July 1982 and covers an area of approximately 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi). The park extends from the Teerathagarh waterfalls in the west to the Kolab river in the east, spanning an average length of 33.5 km (20.8 mi) and an average width of 6 km (3.7 mi) from north to south. It derives its name from the Kanger river, which flows centrally through it. Situated at a distance of 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Jagdalpur city, it is one of India's densest national parks and is known for its biodiversity, landscape, waterfalls, and subterranean geomorphologic limestone caves. It is also the home to the Bastar hill myna, the state bird of Chhattisgarh.
Indravati National Park is a national park located in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh state in India. The park derives its name from the Indravati River, which flows from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the reserve with the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Jagdalpur is a city located in the southern part of Chhattisgarh state in India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Bastar district and Bastar division. Before the independence of India, it also served as the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Bastar. It is the largest city of south Chhattisgarh and the Fourth largest in the entire state by population. The city is one of the most important commercial, financial and political hub in Chhattisgarh after Raipur.The “Mini Indore” nickname for Jagdalpur originated in the mid-2010s when it started becoming a hub for Clothing business deals and it's demographics.
Guanacaste Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by the Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion (SINAC) of Costa Rica for conservation in the northwestern part of Costa Rica. It contains three national parks, as well as wildlife refuges and other nature reserves. The area contains the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, which comprises four areas.
Malkangiri, historically known as Malikamardhangiri, is a town and municipality in Malkangiri district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the headquarter of the Malkangiri district. Malkangiri has been the new home of the East Bengali refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan, who have been rehabilitated since 1965 under the Dandakaranya Project. Some Sri Lankan Tamil refugees were also rehabilitated in the town, following the armed struggle of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the early 1990s, although most of them have now returned to their country. Currently, it is one of the most naxalite-affected areas of the state, and is a part of the Red Corridor.
Bade Bacheli is a town and a Nagar Palika in Dantewada district in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. It is now very well known as NMDC Township with nature all around to explore and witness. It is situated roughly 400 km from Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh. The way to travel is by Road with frequent bus service from Raipur, Bhilai, Jagdalpur, and Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam or by train from Jagdalpur and Vishakhapatnam.
Kirandul is a town and a municipality in Dantewada district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is located roughly 400 km south of Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh and 41 km southwest of Dantewada-the district headquarters. The way to travel is by road with frequent bus service from Raipur, Bhilai and Jagdalpur or by train from Jagdalpur and Visakhapatnam.It has the world's largest iron ore mine according to 2021 survey
Kondagaon a municipality about 70 kilometers from Jagdalpur city is the headquarter of Kondagaon district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is the third largest city of Bastar division. Kondagaon separated from Bastar district on 24 January 2012 and formed as 27th district of the Chhattisgarh state. It is mostly renowned for its bell metal craft and other art forms native to the tribal of Bastar. Also known as the Shilp sheher of Chhattisgarh owing to the variety of indigenous crafts produced in the area.
Ranthambore Fort lies within the Ranthambore National Park, near the city of Sawai Madhopur in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, India. the park being the former hunting grounds of the Maharajahs of Jaipur until the time of India's Independence. It is a formidable fort having been a focal point of the historical developments of Rajasthan. The fort is believed to be constructed by numerous kings from Several Dynasties including The Yadavas, Chahamana Rajputs, Hada Rajputs, Mewar Rajput Kings and then the Delhi Sultanate captured it for a brief time. The fort provides a panoramic view of the surrounding Ranthambore National Park and is now a popular tourist attraction.
The Chitrakote Falls is a natural waterfall on the Indravati River, located approximately 38 kilometres (24 mi) to the west of Jagdalpur, in Bastar district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
Cave research, encompassing the study of speleology and biospeleology, is still in its infancy in India. Although there are thousands of caves in India, research expeditions occur in few states. The Siju Cave in Meghalaya is the first limelighted natural cave from India. Several studies were carried out in this cave in the early 20th century. The Kotumsar Cave in Central India is one of the most explored caves of India, and biologists have classified many types of cavernicoles, i.e. trogloxenes, troglophiles and troglobites, from this cave.
Sosanpal is a town in Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, India.
Danteshwari Temple is temple dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari, and is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, shrines of Shakti, the divine feminine, spread across India. The temple built in the 14th century, is situated in Dantewada, a town situated 80 km from Jagdalpur Tehsil, Chhattisgarh. Dantewada is named after the Goddess Danteshwari, the presiding deity of the earlier Kakatiya rulers. Traditionally she is the Kuldevi of Bastar state,
The Thirathgarh Falls is all season tourism's site and a good photography place waterfall near Jagdalpur at Kanger Ghati in Bastar district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
Tourism is an important part of the economy of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, India's tenth largest state. The state has many ancient monuments, rare wildlife, carved temples, Buddhist sites, palaces, water falls, caves, rock paintings and hill plateaus.
Tourism has been an ever-growing industry in the Kodagu district of India. The impacts of tourism in Kodagu district effect the country's economy, environment, and culture. The impacts can be positive and negative. Ecotourism and homestays have been adopted to provide stable household income, and promote environmental awareness and cultural experiences to foreign travellers. Economic impacts include overall income increasing from employment but jobs were usually seasonal. Environmental impacts like funding from tourism would support conservation efforts and natural resource management but would bring pollution and biodiversity degradation to the district. Sociocultural impacts where residents of Kodagu like having tourists but risk losing access to resources. Kodagu district is commonly known as the "Scotland of India". The district is a hotspot for tourism and recreational activities. The mountainous Kodagu region is filled with biologically diverse tourist attractions such as waterfalls, forests, and wildlife which can be impacted by tourism.
The Wharepapa / Arthur Range is a mountain range partially marking the boundary between the Tasman District and West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. The range is at the eastern extent of the Tasman Mountains which make up much of the island's northwest, making it easily visible from across the low-lying Waimea Plains further to the east. The range's location and its many uses make it a significant site for local Māori, including the iwi of Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Rārua. This includes the prominent peaks of Mount Arthur and Pukeone / Mount Campbell, which both hold mana in their own right and have become part of the identity of the aforementioned iwi.
18°52′18″N81°56′6″E / 18.87167°N 81.93500°E
| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
